إن كان بدك تصون العرض و تلمه جوز البنت للي عينها منه
En kan beddak tesoun el ard we telemmu, gawwez el bend le elli einha mennu
Translation: If you want to protect honour and keep it intact, give the girl in marriage to the man who caught her fancy.
Meaning: This proverb, mostly outdated, is rare in its lengthy, brooding pace, as if delivered by an old sage to a youngish father. It is advice to allow women to follow their hearts, and viewed from the viewpoint of village life a century or two ago, must have done a lot of good. The scary part, however, is the focus on ard, or honour. This is where the medieval flavour of the proverb is found. If the marriage is mismatched, and the “girl” is not impressed by the husband to be, she may seek satisfaction elsewhere, risking not just her family’s good name, but her own life.
Source: Egyptian Proverbs, (Al-Ahram Center for Translation and Publishing, 1986) by Ahmed Taymour Pasha,
Translated by: Nabil Shawkat
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